Tomato Bocconcini Salad with delicious crunchy bits

This is the easiest salad. Tomato Bocconcini Salad is a classic but add crunchy croutons, nuts and seeds and you’ve got a salad everyone will love.

Making Tomato Bocconcini Salad with extra cunch

Funny enough this salad began with left over bread. I had a family lunch and I bought a few continental rolls at a small deli. There was no other shop nearby is all I can say about this. They were a little expensive for white rolls and a wish to not waste money was not the only reason I used them as croutons. They are actually very light and when tossed in some oil bake up golden and crunchy. Use any bread you may have left over too but this light white type of bread makes the best croutons.

I’ve used mixed red and yellow cherry tomatoes because they are ripe and sweet and they also look nice and neat once they are all sliced together in the bowl. Once again you can use any ripe tomatoes you can get your hands on. This would be the perfect salad for Ox hearts tomatoes with their sweet and juicy flavour. For just the same reason I have used baby Bocconcini they are small and cute and look pretty good with the cherry tomatoes. Cherry or baby Bocconcini are so soft and tender. They always seem to be creamier and less bouncy than the larger ones. But again, this salad will work with any bocconcini or fresh mozzarella you like.

It’s simple and beautiful and it’s meant for changes. You’ll find the dressing is delicious and very simple too. Just use an empty jar to shake it up. Lots of people say that dressings are difficult to make but when you shake them in a jar you can keep tasting until you get the right balance of flavours. It always emulsifies properly too and that’s the secret to a really good dressing, well that and of course with good ingredients. Buy a nice vinegar or get someone to give you one as a gift. You will never find a great vinegar in the supermarket. A jar of dijon mustard is also indispensable for dressings.

Now back to the salad. You’ll notice I forgot to film adding the nutty crunchy bits to the salad when you watch the video. Bugger. You add them to the salad just before serving along with the dressing.

This is a simple salad but it is perfect with grilled meat. if you really don't want to cook it's also great with BBQ chicken. That extra crunchy bits make it all the better.

Ingredients

2 cups bread cubed

4 tablespoons olive oil

500 gm cherry bocconcini, halved drained

500 gm cherry tomatoes, halved

½ bunch of basil, picked

½ bunch chives, chopped (2 tablespoons)

50 gm pepita seeds

50 gm chopped almonds

½ teaspoon of both salt and pepper

Dressing

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

4 Tablespoons Extra Virgin olive oil

2 Tablespoons of white balsamic or similar

½ teaspoon sugar

salt and pepper

Instructions

Set the oven to 170 C / 340 F

Cut the bread into cubes and pour into a bowl. Add the pepita seeds and the rough chopped almonds. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss through the olive oil. Spread the mixture onto a tray and bake till golden and toasty. Approximately 10-15 minutes. Cool

In another bowl place the cut the tomatoes and the Bocconcini. Pick the basil adding it to the bowl with the chives.

Add all the salad ingredients into a jar and shake. Taste. Salt and enough vinegar will balance the dressing.

When ready to serve add the dressing and half of the crunchy mixture. When you serve the salad add more crunchy bits to the top.

Trader Joe’s sells a brioche roll that I use for croutons, they bake up very crunch especially if your tear instead of cut them. Then there are all kinds of spiky very crunchy bits. Anyway, great addition to a salad that is often lacking in the texture department.

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